Bobbin-sorter.



H. D.'COLMAN.

BOBBIN SORTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I8. I915- 1,227, 1 1 8. Patented May 22, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Mar 0&7.-

' Maya/r653. 685mm H. D. COLMAN.

BOBBIN SORTER.

APPLICATION HLED OCT. 18, l9l5- Patented May 22, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I .xlmluml a '27 fowzmlfl Com,

H. D. COLMAN.

BOBBIN SORTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. 19:5.

1 ,227,1 1 8. Patented May 22, 1917.

, fez/awnown/rd @[mn v .wus FETERS c0. Puma-union wAsm/vumN. n z:v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD D. COLMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO HOWARD D. COLMAN,

LUTHER L. MILLER, AND HARRY SEVERSON, GOPARTNERS DOING BUSINESS AS'BARBER-COLMAN COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

BoBBIN-soRTE a.

Application filed October 18,1915. Serial No. 56,542.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD D. COLMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago'and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bobbin-Sorters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for sorting bobbins with reference tothe presence or absence of yarn upon the bobbins. While the invention issusceptible of various embodiments, and of being applied to varioususes, it is herein disclosed as embodied in an apparatus for sorting thebobbins discharged from a spooler or winder.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a fragmental plan view of aconveyer for removing the spent bobbins from a winder or spooler, aconveyer for carrying the bobbins to the sorter, and a device fortransferring the bobbins from the'first mentioned conveyer to the secondmentioned conveyer. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the elementsofvthe sorter. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing .the sorter-and a portionof the second mentioned conveyer. Fig. 4 is a fragmental sectional viewtaken in the plane of dotted line 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentalsectional view of the sorter. Fig. 6 is a fragmental, substantially topplan view of the sorter. Fig.7 is a fragmental detail view illustratinga means for supporting one of the shafts of the sorter. l

While the bobbins may be supplied to the sorter from any suitablesource, and in any preferred manner, I have shown in Fig. 1

a portion of an endless bobbin conveyer 1 arranged to extend around awinder 'or spooler in position to receive the bobbinsa discharged fromthe bobbin-holders of the winder or spooler. The bobbins are transportedby the conveyer 1 in single file with their butt ends a leading. 2isfone of the wheels by means of which the conveyer 1 is driven andsupported. 3, 4 and 5 are guards to prevent the escape of thebobbinsfrom the conveyer. 6 is a wheel secured to a vertical shaft 7 and havinga peripheral flange 8 which extends under the. conveyer 1. The wheel 6has an annular vertically with the shaft 7.

extending flange-9 to guide the bobbins. 10 1s a stationary, curvedguide'extendingconcentrically with the flange 9 to prevent the escape ofthe bobbins whilethe latter are passing from the conveyer 1 to the otherconveyer hereinbefore referred to. A deflector 11 extends from one endof the guard 10' to a point close to the inner side of the conveyer 1and serves to direct bobbins from the conveyer 1 to the wheel 6. One endof the guard 5 extends close to the flange 9, as shown.

The conveyervl and the transfer wheel 6 may be driven in any suitablemanner. Herein is shown a drive-shaft 12 which is geared to a shaft 13,which in turn has a Patented May 22, 1917.

which the wheel 2 is connected. Shaft 13 also has a bevel-gearconnection with a shaft 15, the latter having a bevel-gear connectionThe character and arrangement of the conveyer that receives bobbins fromthe transfer wheel depend upon the location of the sorter and otherconsiderations. Herein is shown a conveyer 16 comprising an end lessbelt 17, said belt beingsupported upon two flanged pulleys '18 and 19v'(Figs. 1 and 3). The pulley -18'is mounted upon the shaft 15.- Pulley19 is rotatably mounted upon a rod 20 which is supported in sockets 21(Fig. 6) carried in the supporting frame.

The belt 17 is. provided with transverse cleats or flights 22 in orderthat the belt may be able to elevate. the bobbins. The upper run of thebelt 17 is supported upon a'bar 23 (Figs. 1 and 3') fixed in theframework. At opposite sides of the upper run of the belt 17 are guideplates 24:, the lower ends, of which extend into operative relation tothe flange 9 and the guide 10. The upper ends of the guard plates 24extend within a curved casing 25 which incloses the upper portion of thepulley 19. The casing 25 is secured-to a frame '26,to be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

To reduce the speed of the bobbins as they leave the casing '25, and todirect the bobbins downwardly, there is provided a gate 27 pivoted abovethe casing 25 at 28. A spring 29 tends to hold the gate 27 closed.

The sorter is arranged in position to receive bobbins discharged fromthe casing 25,

a side plate 30 (Fig. 4) and a top plate 31 tion, the sorter comprises aseries of travel- I ing bobbin-receiving elements 32 arranged in aninclined position so that empty bobbins shall slide off the elements;said elements being provided with surfaces to which yarn will cling, inorder that bobbins having yarn thereon shall not slide off saidelements, but shall be carried by the elements to a point of discharge.Each of the elements 32 is in the form of a trough V-shaped incrosssection, and its inner surface is of such character as to preventor retard the sliding of a bobbin having yarn thereon. Herein thetroughs are shown as lined with a suitable material to which yarn willcling, as, for example, felt. To the lower end of each element 32 issecured a guide portion 33, also in trough form.

The elements 32 and guides 33 are secured to the lugs 34 of two endlesschains 35, said chains runningover sprocket wheels 36 and 37 The wheels36 are fixed upon a shaft 38 which is mounted in bearings 39 on theframe 26. Said frame comprises the end 1nembers 40 and 41, which membersare connected together by channel bars 42 and 43.

The frame 26 is provided with alined bearings 44, 45 and 46 which aremounted upon the rod 20. The opposite side of the frame 26 is supportedby a rod 47, which rod may be raised and lowered to change the angle ofinclination of the frame 26' and consequently of the shorter elements32. Herein is shown a screw-threaded rod 48 connected at its upper endto the rod 47 and having a nut 49; said nut has studs 50 that rest insockets 51 carried by the supporting frame. By means of the screw 48 andnut 49, the angle of inclination of the sorter elements 32 may bechanged as required by variations in the coefiicient of friction, due tochanges in humidity and other causes.

The shaft 38 is driven from the pulley 19 through bevel gears 52 and 53,the pinion 52 being fixed to said pulley.

The sprocket wheels 37 are mounted upon a shaft 54 (Fig. 7), which shaftis supported in bearings which are adjustably mounted, as indicated insaid figure, in order that slackness may be taken out of the chains 35.The upper runs of the chains 35 are supportedupon angle-iron rails 55.

The bobbin-receiving elements 32 extend in vertical planes parallel withthe plane of l the conveyor 16, and travel at right angles to the planeof movement ofsaid conveyer. As hereinbefore stated, the series ofelements 32 is arranged in position so that said tend beyondsaid elementso that the entire I length of the body of the bobbin (or the yarnthereon) shall lie in contact withthe friction surface of the element32. It will be seen that if the butt of the bobbin rested upon thefriction surface of the element 32,

all of the body except the tip thereof would be spaced away from thefriction surface, and unless the bobbin carried a considerable amount ofyarn, the yarn would not be in contact with the friction surface. As,however, the body of the bobbin lies in contact with the frictionsurface, even a small amount of yarn is sufficient to prevent the bobbinfrom sliding. The guide 33 is sufficiently below the felt surface of theelement 32 so that the butt of the bobbin shall i not space the body ofthe bobbin away from the felt. The plate 56 (Figs. 3 and 4) forms an endwall to limit any rebounding of the bobbin after the bobbin strikes thestop 57. The stop 57 is extended'in the direction of movement of theseries of elements 32 and is beveled or inclined to permit bobbinscarrying yarn to slide under restraint until the yarn has'effectivelyengaged the felt. Below the sorter is a hop per 58 located imposition toreceive bobbins which slide off the elements 32 and guides 33. Beneaththe discharge end of the sorter is a hopper 59 (Fig. 6) to receivebobbins discharged from the elements 32 as the latter pass around thesprocket wheels 37. lhe bobbins deposited in the hopper 58 may be sentdirectly to the spinning room; those that are received in the hopper 59are subsequently freed from yarn, either by a stripping or clearingoperation, or by unwinding the yarn in a special winder.

It will be seen that because of the troughlike form of theelements 32,and the position of the elements with reference to the line of dischargeof the bobbins, said elements control the bobbins and prevent them fromjumping and turning out of alinement with said elements.

at least two sorter elements shall pass the.

casing 25 for each flight 22 passing through said casing.

It'will be apparent that variouschanges may be made in the constructionof the sorter without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

One embodiment of the invention herein claimed is shown in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 450,523, filed October 31, 1908.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bobbin sorter having, in combination, an endless series oftrough-like bobbin-receiving elements, each of said elements having aninterior surface to which yarn will cling, said elements being inclinedto permit the sliding of empty bobbins, means for 1ongitudinallydischarging bobbins into said elements, a receptacle located in positionto receive bobbins which slide from said elements, means for causing theseries of elements to move, and a receptacle located in position toreceive bobbins discharged by said elements.

2. A bobbin sorter having, incombination, an endless movable series oftrough-like bobbin-receiving elements, each of said elements having aninterior surface to which yarn will cling, said elements being supportedin an inclined position, and means for longitudinally dischargingbobbins into said elements.

3. A bobbin sorter having, in combination, an inclined part having asurface to which yarn will cling, means for longitudinally dischargingbobbins onto said surface, a stop at the lower end of said surface, andmeans for fmoving said inclined part to carry the bobbin away from saidstop.

4. A bobbin sorter having, in combination, a bobbin-receiving elementprovided with a surface to which yarn will cling, said element beinginclined to permit the sliding of an empty bobbin, means for placingbobbins on said element with their axes extending in the direction ofinclination of said element, a receptacle located in position to receivea bobbin which may slide from said element, a second receptacle, andmeans for moving said element in position to discharge a bobbin into thesecond receptacle.

5. A bobbin sorter having, in combination, an endless series ofbobbin-receiving elements, each element having a surface to which yarnwill cling, said elements being inclined to permit the sliding of emptybobbins, a receptacle located in position to receive bobbins which slidefrom said elements, means for causing the series of elements to move,and a receptacle located in position to receive bobbins discharged bysaid elements.

6. A bobbin sorter having, in combination, an inclined part having'asurface to which yarn will cling, means for delivering.

a bobbin to said surface, and a stop at the lower end of said surface,said stop being spaced away from said surface sufficiently to permit thebutt of the bobbin to extend clear of said surface.

7 A textile machine having, in combina tion, means to effect theseparation of empty bobbins from bobbins having'yarn thereon, said meansincluding an'inclined surface to which yarn will cling, means fordelivering bobbins to said surface with their axes extending in thedirection of inclination of said surface, a casing into which thebobbins are moved by the delivering means, and a yielding gate for saidcasing, said gate serving to direct bobbins to said surface.

8. A textile machine having, in combination, means to effect theseparation of empty bobbins from bobbins having yarn thereon, said meansincluding an inclined surface to which yarn will cling, means fordelivering bobbins to said surface with their axes extending in thedirection of inclination of said surface, and a device to direct thebobligins from the delivering means'to said surace.

9. A textile machine having, in combination, means to efiect theseparation of empty bobbins from bobbins having yarn thereon, said meansincluding an inclined surface to which yarn will cling, and means forlongitudinally discharging bobbins to said separating means with theiraxes extending in bobbins from bobbins having yarn thereon,

and means for positioning bobbins longitudinally upon said surface.

11. A bobbin sorter having an endless movable series of trough-likebobbin-receiving elements, each of said elements having an interiorsurface to which yarn will cling, said elements being supported in aninclined osition.

12. A bobbin sorter having a trough-like bobbin-receiving elementprovided with an interior surface to which yarn will cling, and abobbin'guide alined with said element.

13. A bobbin sorter having a trough-like bobbin-receiving element, theopposite walls of saidelement being arranged for contact by the yarn ona bobbin lying lengthwise of said element, said walls having an interiosurface to which yarn will cling.

14:. A textile machine having, in combination, a member having aninclined surface to which yarn will cling, means forlongitudinally-delivering bobbins to said surface,

slide from the surface, and a bobbin recep ing of such cross-sectionalform as to pretacle below said surface and at another side vent a bobbinfrom rolling therefrom. 10 thereof to receive bobbins having yarn Intestimony whereof, I hereunto set my thereon. hand in the presence of awitness.

15. A bobbin-receiving element provided with an interior surface towhich yarn will HOWARD COLMAN' cling, said element being inclined topermit In the presence 0fan empty bobbin to slide therefrom, and be-GEORGE L. CHINDAHL;

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

